Chapter 191: Qingning
The steam whistle of the steamship echoed across the entire pier.
The oceangoing vessel was preparing to depart. Ernst stood on the pier, bidding farewell to his father, while Prince Constantin waved back from aboard the ship. Although the pier was bustling with people, an inexplicable sense of loneliness welled up from within. Ernst remained there until the Ping'an had completely vanished from sight before he came to his senses.
It was probably the first time father and son had been separated by such a great distance. In the past, Prince Constantin had occasionally traveled to Berlin on business, or Ernst himself had journeyed around Europe, but this feeling of distance had never been quite like this.
…
Berlin.
"Are you sure about the safety of this? You didn't add anything strange, right?" Ernst asked.
"Boss, it's all made from natural ingredients. We've tested it repeatedly. First, our researchers taste it themselves. Then we do trials on lab mice. Finally, the test personnel try it again in large doses. We absolutely guarantee its safety," Richt said.
To assure Ernst, Richt drew a cup of the liquid from the large container via a small tap, then drank it in one gulp.
"How would you rate the taste?" Ernst asked.
"From a flavor standpoint, there's no issue at all. Compared to the carbonated sugar-water on the market, it tastes better and has a certain…kick. Hic," Richt said, belching.
Ernst also poured himself a cup. The big glass container descended slightly as the beverage flowed out. Soon, the cup was full. It was a transparent drink filled with tiny bubbles that continued rising to the surface when first poured, eventually settling down.
Ernst took a small sip. An at-once familiar yet strange taste hit him straight away. Though it wasn't yet summer, he felt a cool, penetrating sensation.
"Not bad at all," Ernst commented.
It was reminiscent of the Sprite he had known in his previous life, but the moment it touched his tongue, he realized it wasn't that. This particular taste was something unique—his very first time experiencing it in either of his lives.
"There's lemon in here, plus carbonated water, sugar, and what else?" Ernst asked Richt.
"Salt, various spices, honey, and a whole bunch of other natural ingredients," Richt replied.
"How about the cost?"
"Well, for this cup in your hand, it's not cheap because we're using top-quality ingredients. But for a 'commoner' version, we can lower the cost substantially—at least to the point that, relative to the soft drinks currently on the market, it'll be mid- to low-priced, ensuring many ordinary people can afford it," Richt answered.
Of course, "many" might still be open to question. In this era, plenty of people hovered near the subsistence line, but there were also ample consumers in Europe who had money to spare, so the potential size of the beverage market was still significant.
"A commoner version? Then what I'm holding must be the 'noble' version," Ernst remarked.
"Boss, nobles are sure to demand genuine ingredients. The different consumer segments can have different product features. In reality, though, the flavor of the commoner version won't differ from what the nobility drink," Richt explained.
"You haven't given this sugar-water a name yet?" Ernst noticed that Richt was also calling it a "beverage."
"Not yet. How about you name it, Boss?" Richt suggested.
"Hmm, let me think a bit." Ernst reflected for a moment. He did consider just calling it "Sprite" outright, but deep down he felt that, even though this carbonated drink was similar to the Sprite of his previous life, it definitely wasn't the same. Besides, the lab team had worked so hard to create it. Simply slapping on the name "Sprite" seemed disrespectful to their work.
So Ernst asked, "Do you have any ideas of your own?"
"If I were naming it, I'd probably use a person's name. That's how many beverages end up being named," Richt replied.
"Richt Brand?" Ernst ventured.
"Naturally, I meant using your name, Boss," Richt answered with self-awareness, though the name "Richt Brand" didn't sound too bad to him.
"Let's skip that. A person's name feels odd to me," Ernst said, shaking his head. Using anyone's name made him feel rather uncomfortable, influenced by his previous life, even though it was quite a common practice in both East and West during this era.
Suddenly, Ernst had a spark of inspiration. "Since this drink uses lemon, why not call it 'Qingning Sparkling Water'?" he proposed.
"Boss, doesn't that name sound a bit ordinary?" Richt wondered.
"How so?" Ernst asked.
"Well, it's basically a lemon-based drink, right? Calling it 'Qingning' just feels too plain. But adding 'Sparkling Water' does sound interesting—sort of playful," Richt said.
"Straightforward names have their merits. Our target for this drink is the general public. Using 'Qingning' directly can help consumers quickly grasp that this is a plant-based beverage, like beer, tea, or coffee. I plan to have a lemon emblem on the glass bottles. Imagine a scorching summer day under the blazing sun—just seeing a lemon can really make people crave a refreshing sip," Ernst explained, recalling that sour flavors naturally stir people's taste buds.
In European history, lemons held an important place, particularly after being introduced from the East during the Age of Exploration, when they were widely cultivated, especially along the Mediterranean. In the 17th century, during yet another major outbreak of the Black Death, France was heavily impacted. Over thirty thousand Europeans died, and no large French city outside Paris was spared. Some believed that the popularity of a soft drink—lemon water—in Paris at that time was what saved Parisians from disaster.
By the 18th century, the British had discovered that lemon water was highly effective in preventing scurvy, making it essential for sailors. Indeed, lemon-based drinks compared favorably to early colas, which were sold mainly as medicine. Lemons had been used medicinally on a large scale in Europe, and the public was more receptive to them.
Speaking of cola, Ernst had thought of creating a similar drink, but his memory was fuzzy on the ingredients. When he tried explaining it to his research team, they couldn't figure out what he was describing, other than that it might be caramel-colored. In the end, they ended up developing "Qingning." Ernst vividly recalled that lemon on the Sprite label, so he'd insisted on sweetness, carbonation, and so on. Though "Qingning" wasn't exactly Sprite, Ernst found it quite pleasing. Its flavor was at least on par with Sprite, and with proper marketing, it should do well in sales.
"Alright then, I'm quite satisfied with your results. Keep refining it, see if you can cut costs a bit more. Once my beverage factory in Austria is up and running, we can begin production. After that, you'll certainly reap the rewards," Ernst said to Richt and the others.
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